China makes progress in ensuring gender equality in education

China has made progress in gender equality in education, achieving zero dropout rates for the nine-year compulsory education, including for girls, through a dynamic process. Despite global challenges, China aims to integrate gender equality throughout its entire education system, officials said.

Qin Changwei, secretary-general of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, told the 2025 International Symposium on Girls' and Women's Education held in Beijing on Saturday that China has taken effective measures in reducing gender gaps and promoting equal education.

"The government has invested a lot in education and created policies to help students from low-income families. A financial aid system from kindergarten to university keeps dropout rates for the nine-year compulsory education, including for girls, at zero by dynamic monitoring and intervention.

"Programs like the Spring Bud Project, which received the UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education in 2023, have also improved educational opportunities for girls and women. As a result, both genders now have equal access to education at all levels," he said.

Zhou Zuoyu, director of the UNESCO International Research and Training Center for Rural Education, said that over the past 30 years, international organizations and countries around the world have worked to improve education for girls and women.

Despite these efforts, challenges still exist. Globally, 122 million girls are not in school. In low- and middle-income countries, fewer women than men use information technology, leading to a new digital divide. In addition, biases and stereotypes in schools, families and society prevent many girls and women from fully engaging in STEM education — Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics — causing them to miss important opportunities, he added.

To solve these problems, global partners need to work harder to empower girls and women by reforming education, he said.

Zhao Yuchi, executive director of the center, said at the symposium that looking ahead, according to China's report to the United Nations on its progress on gender equality, priorities have been identified: ensuring equal access to education at all levels, encouraging more girls and women to pursue STEM, expanding their access to high-quality vocational education and embedding gender equality as a fundamental principle across the education system.